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Lots of people talk a good game about eating more natural foods, but a new study suggests that the convenience of "ultra-processed" meals is just too hard to resist. Researchers found that nearly three in five of our calories come from this category, reports the Los Angeles Times. That raises a host of health concerns, given that these foods are loaded with sugar, preservatives, artificial flavors, colors—generally speaking, the unpronounceable stuff in ingredient lists. So what qualifies as "ultra-processed"? Think breakfast cereals, frozen pizzas, soda, cookies, salty snacks, etc. The study in the journal BMJ Open looked at what more than 9,000 participants ate over a 24-hour period and found that 58% of the average 2,070 calories consumed qualified for the "ultra-processed" label.

As for the rest, 28% came from foods with zero or minimal processing—eggs, fish, vegetables, essentially food "you've just ripped ... out of the ground or off a tree and shoved ... in your mouth," explains the Atlantic. Another 10% came from foods with a higher degree of processing (but not at the "ultra" level), such as cheese, canned vegetables, bread, and cured meat. The remainder of the calories came from cooking ingredients such as olive oil. The researchers were particularly concerned that the ultra-processed foods delivered 90% of the added sugar in participants' diets, writing that limiting their consumption "may be a highly effective way" to keep sugar intake under control, notes Live Science. (If you're trying to cut down on not-so-healthy snacking, one key might involve your sleep.)

It's not that hard for most of us to eat a healthy diet, and avoid these items, so I can't understand why this is still an issue for the bulk of Americans (anyone not living in a food desert/ and/or without the means to store and cook food). Healthy eating doesn't have to be expensive. Eggs, canned tuna, beans, rice, sweet potatoes, frozen chicken thighs, natural peanut butter, frozen veggies, and bulk veggies/ fruit from places like Produce Junction are all very cheap. Water is free. Growing veggies takes minimal space. Mixed with some healthy oils, (mostly) dried spices, and a recipe pulled from the internet, this is all you need to make a variety of tasty meals, that are more affordable than fast/ processed food. Sure, more financial security means more variety, but even if you can't afford organic, or high priced healthy convenience options, you can probably afford to eat healthy, while still enjoying your food. If you are reading this, it means you have an internet connection and probably fall into this group. Processed sugar is bad. Processed grains are bad. Don't eat them. This is easy enough. It's easy to a) prepare healthy, tasty food quickly, and b) food prep, so that you have plenty of healthy meal options. A package of 4 turkey burgers from Trader Joe's cost $3. It costs less to make them on your own and freeze them. It takes all of 10 minutes to stir-fry a cut up turkey burger with some veggies, frozen peas, dried spices, an egg, and part of a big pot of rice that you prepped on Sunday to use throughout the week. Batches of sauce and soup can be prepped in a few hours on a Sunday, frozen or jarred, and will keep for ages. Chicken breasts/ thighs (or even a whole chicken) can be thrown in a crockpot with some spices, veggies, and potatoes, ignored for 8 hours while you're at work, and serve as several delicious meals. The bottom line is that people will happily pay to destroy their health and planet, provided it's convenient.

ChuChu

Mar 10, 2016 12:34 PM CST

My father was a depression era WWII vet of the European theater who grew up on a farm. When he raised us 6 kids, he allowed no processed cereals in our home, nor Kool Aid, nor soda, nor any other garbage "food". He insisted we ate chicken, pork, beef and fish, fresh and cooked veggies, eggs, toast, or oatmeal, and real orange juice for breakfast, whole wheat everything, and milk, etc. etc. If we had dessert, it was fresh fruit. If you wanted "cereal", you ate oatmeal (and not that instant crap). During his lifetime he never once allowed our mother to bring processed garbage into our home. And for that, I am eternally grateful. Thanks, pops. I watch my in-laws feed their small children "lunchables" and sweetened cereal and pop tarts, crackers, and fruit roll ups and high sugar juices...IT IS FRICKING PATHETIC. Their kids are weak and feeble house rats. People are mostly morons who don't understand the most basic of biological principles. They eat crap, so they are crap.